Burn Beautiful

Summary:
Spoiler warning. Continuation of New Moon. Being a vampire comes with it's own problems: newfound bloodlust, untried strength, neverending fights between natural vampire will and human conscience. Edward and Bella's relationship takes a completely new turn as challenges fly their way. Namely, a pack of furious werewolves and a certain vampire named Victoria, who's still set on vengeance and, this time, gains some powerful followers determined to end Bella, vampire or not, and do as much damage to Forks as possible.

Notes:
I just finished New Moon and I know I SHOULD wait until Eclipse comes out, but I had to do something to pass the time! Especially since I had about a million ideas running through my head, mainly around how much could happen once Bella IS a vampire. What happens with Victoria, werewolves, Volturi? What's her special ability, if she has one at all? How does she go about realizing her ability? How does she deal with vampire instincts? What about her parents? AHH, idea overflow! I've outlined this entire story and it's turning up to be pretty much novel long, which is exciting. I'm not new to writing, I've just never done this particular "fandom" before and I hope I do it justice.

1. Chapter 1

There was the pain. Icy fire running ever so slowly through my veins, burning its way from the inside out and all I could do was scream. It was agonizing, excruciating, and so unbearable that I cried out to Edward and begged him to stop it. It couldn't be worth it, this torture in my neck gripping at my throat.

I couldn't hear myself anymore, but I knew that I was screaming. My vision blurred and I could barely make out Carlisle's shape in the corner of the room or Edward, sitting next to me with an anguished look on his face.

"I'm sorry, Bella," he was saying, running a cool hand down my face. I couldn't hear what he was saying, exactly, but I craned my head up into his palm. Anything to put out the fire.

My hands thrashed against the ropes holding me down as the torture continued on to my shoulders.

It's not worth it! Make it stop! Put it out! Please…

Seconds felt like hours and hours felt like days. I had no sense of time, anymore. All I knew was the explosions everywhere in my body, ripping me open then sealing me closed. I was a fool to think I could take it. I really was.

Sleep was out of the question. I would've welcomed sleep. There was only pain, searing flames shooting everywhere. Horrific pain.

………

Charlie was absolutely livid.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" he shouted, louder than I've ever heard his voice go. Edward tightened his icy grip on my hand and I resisted the urge to hide behind him.

"OF ALL THE RECKLESS, STUPID, IRRESPONSIBLE THINGS TO DO! Driving a damn motorcycle without a license, jumping off cliffs, disappearing, HONESTLY! It's like you're begging to go to Jacksonville!"

He was pacing, wearing down the kitchen tiles. At this point, I didn't know who was speaking to me. Charlie the police chief or Charlie the father.

I opened my mouth to protest until I felt his cool breath against my ear. He whispered, "I'll be in your room," too low for my father to hear, swiftly kissed my cheek, then disappeared behind me.

Being alone with my father was not good. The way he was glaring at me as if his eyeballs could make my head implode? ... not good either.

"I'm sorry?" I offered. "I'll never do it again. Promise."

"Bella…" his tone was controlled and very scary.

"It was a long time ago!"

"Just…go up to your room."

That was unexpected. Yelling, yes. Threatening, of course. Stripping away of all rights and freedoms, definitely. But this resigned tone as if he had completely and absolutely given up on me?

"Dad…"

"Enough, Bella. I don't know what to do with you anymore. Just go. Now."

I felt the tears blurring up my vision as he turned away from me and moved to drop himself onto the couch. He looked tired and defeated. It didn't take me long to realize that this was the worst punishment. Before I disappeared up the stairs, I paused. "I really am sorry," I whispered, softly.

Edward was sitting on my bed and I flung myself at him. His cold body was reassuring and I buried my face in his chest, trying to keep the tears from falling.

…………

I didn't call Jacob until two days later. Truthfully, I had no clue what I would say, but I dialed the number anyway. Billy picked up and it took all I had to not scream in frustration.

"I need to talk to Jacob."

I could practically see him rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Bella. He's - "

"No!" I snapped, "I really need to talk to him!"

"He's not here, I'll tell him you - "

There were a few muffled voices and the distinct sound of the phone getting passed over. Hm. This was definitely promising.

"Bella?" I smiled at the familiar voice, then remembered I was supposed to be angry. I decided to get straight to the point.

"We need to talk."

Pause.

"Do we?"

"Yes."

This standstill was more than nerve-wracking. I tightened my grip on the phone.

"Is he there with you?" Edward?

"Jake - "

"Is he?"

"No," I sighed. "But this has to do about us. Edward's not a part of this."

He laughed, bitterly, "Yes, he is. Him and all those blood-suckers. You just don't want to see it."

"You're my best friend, Jake," my voice cracked. "You promised…"

"I'm sorry. It's hard, you know. I always knew you'd end up choosing him if it came down to that, but it's different when it's just,… I'm sorry."

"I didn’t - "

"Yeah, you did."

I didn't know what to say. Had it been cruel of me? To lead him on, string him along, then…

"We still need to talk," I insisted. I heard him inhale deeply and sigh.

"Okay," he finally agreed.

"I can't go down to La Push, so - "

"Just make sure your precious blood-sucker isn't there and I'll be around in a few hours."

Edward didn't look ready to leave anytime soon and I was getting frantic. Why did it have to be so hard? I understood there was history, myths, natural hate towards natural enemies, but still. It was selfish of me, I know, but I wanted it all. My vampire boyfriend, my werewolf best friend…

I gave him the sharpest look I could, but all he did was raise his eyebrows. He was completely unrelenting, completely infuriating,… completely beautiful.

"He's wont hurt me," I carried on, tearing my eyes from his face. It wouldn't do any good arguing with him when he looked the way he did. "Edward…"

"You can't know that. I know he wont want to hurt you, but you can't honestly know that he wont."

"You're impossible."

I felt his cold hands circle my wrist and let him pull me onto his lap. Not that I could have resisted, but I still liked to think that I had some say in how he handled me.

"Just an hour," I looked up at him, biting my lip and hoping he'd just relent. "That's all I want."

His topaz eyes hardened, glistening with annoyance and a hint of anger. I felt his arms tense around me, holding me even closer against his chest.

"I don't like it," he sighed into my hair, resting his chin at the top of my head. I smiled.

"I'm sorry you don't like it," I murmured, lightly following a white vein down his alabaster arm. He started to speak, but I stopped him. "But I'm not sorry for seeing my best friend."

He scowled down at me and clamped his mouth shut. I traced the angry set of his lips with a finger and rolled my eyes as he glared.

"And I thought you were the one that was a million years old…"

"Hey!" He protested, pulling back. Suddenly, his head shot up and his body was as rigid as an arrow. His eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared, breathing a scent that I realized was probably Jacob Black, pulling up in that Volkswagen of his...

Edward slowly turned and fixed me with a penetrating look. Ah, if looks could kill.

"When you said you wanted to see …" he exhaled sharply, still glaring, "You didn't happen to mean right now, did you?"

I managed to look sheepish. "Actually…"

He growled, making me want to cringe. Without a word, he dumped me onto the bed and disappeared out the bedroom window.

............

I answered the door before Jacob could ring the doorbell. He stood there with his hand in the air, finger pointed out, looking completely exhausted. "You're a mess," I stated, stepping aside so he could come in. He shot me a withering look and sniffed the air. I didn't have to be staring up at his face to see the resentment in it."And I hate the way you smell. We're even."

I should have known this wouldn't be easy, but still. This was Jacob. Jake, best friend, werewolf be damned.

Jacob tensed and his nostrils flared. "He's outside," he glared, fisting his hands at his side.

"He wont interrupt."

He snorted and trudged toward the kitchen.

"You know, it doesn't change anything," I continued, staring at his back. "You're still my best friend."

"You're so naïve," he said without looking at me as he poked his head into the refrigerator. "Just because they're not feeding on humans doesn't erase their nature. They're blood-suckers. It's what they do, it's what they need. You're just blinded by a pretty face and a few nice words."

"I thought you knew me better than that."

He slammed the fridge door shut. "They're predators, Bella! How can you not see that? It's what they ARE, it's what they'll always BE. They're the… damn string on a violin! It's only a matter of time before they snap and I wonder who's neck they'll be snapping on!"

"You want to talk about time? How's three hundred years of tightening that string. Seems like pretty strong string to me."

"Why did the Cullens leave in the first place, Bella?" his voice taunted me and I froze. How could he know that? I didn't tell him… He scoffed, not waiting for my answer. "And you want to become one of them?"

Time seemed to freeze and finally, he broke down. "Please don't," he pleaded, falling into a kitchen chair, "Don't do it, Bella. Promise me."

I turned away.

"I told you already. It's none of your business."

"The treaty - "

"That damned treaty."

"Bella - "

Suddenly, he froze and shifted his gaze to the door. Edward was standing there, arms folded firmly across his rigid chest, his face contorted into a deadly look.

Jacob bristled and rose to his feet, stretching to his full height. He looked from Edward to me then back again before shaking his head in disgust, pushing past me to stalk out of the house. Edward nimbly moved and was at my side in less than a second before Jacob slammed the door as he left.

…………

Sometimes the memories haunted me in the midst of the fire in my body. But even as I watched the scenes float past my mind, I screamed.